Doug MacDonald Quartet's Organisms

Man, I seems like forever since I've heard some good B-3 Hammond organ-based jazz. The Doug MacDonald Quartet's Organism almost slipped under my radar--it has such an unassuming album cover, and I think it's been in the review pile for months. It's not like I expect all organ jazz to feature a B3 on the cover or to have "ORGAN JAZZ" written in bold letters, but it just seems like I never get tired of this music. Some jazz genres, yeah, I do place them back in the queue because I'm not in the mood. But I'm always in a Hammond mood.

In this case, Doug MacDonald is not the organ player. He's the smooth electric guitarist you hear out front. The B3 is played by Carey Frank, who is one of those Hammond players who add a drone-like layer of texture to the proceedings, although he is given the chance to solo his butt off at least once every song. The rest of the quartet, sax player Bob Sheppard and drummer Ben Scholz, are synched up with the other two in an unassuming and gentle way--something you might not expect from a sax player. Organisms is a low-key album, smoothly integrated into a relaxed whole that feels like an afternoon spent drinking with an old friend.

Doug MacDonald's been around for a while--this is his 13th album as leader. This CD has been waiting around so long, in fact, that #14 has already arrived. If I wasn't such a geek about the B3 I'd be focused on the way MacDonald plays his guitar. Like Frank, he floats back and forth between the front edge of the stage and the background, always lending a quiet touch when the others are soloing. He is the leader, but it's not as obvious as you think. Each note outside of a solo is designed to coax the others to explore. That said, he does add a lot of texture to his notes from the tips of his fingers and always lets you know how's he's coming up with these great little riffs.

Organisms isn't a landmark album by any means, or a step in a new direction. There's a sense that these four musicians really like each other, and that the whole is incredibly rewarding because there are no lofty expectations. This is a breezy album that flies by like a pastel ghost, and it will put you in a fabulous mood if you love the Hammond B-3 as much as I do.

Jorge Nila's Tenor Time

It's been some time since I've received anything from Zoho Records, a few months perhaps, but now three or four titles have arrived just in the last week or two. Jorge Nila's Tenor Time doesn't have the usual connections to South America as other releases from this superb label--Nila is from Omaha, Nebraska and has been a musician here since 1965. But guitarist Dave Stryker, another Zoho mainstay, does have a huge role in this tribute to the great tenor saxophonists of the jazz world. Stryker and Nila have known each other since the '70s, ever since they starting playing together in New York City. Stryker's guitar is a huge part of this recording, taking turns with Nila's sax on lead. It's like watching two old friends have the most interesting of discussions about their adventures in the jazz scene over the last few decades.

Tenor Time is obviously devoted to the great tenor sax masters of the past, but it's more specifically about Lester Young and the other performers he influenced along the way such as Sonny Rollins, Dexter Gordon, Hank Mobley, John Coltrane, Sonny Stitt, Joe Henderson and Harold Vick. Nila and Stryker have made an interesting choice by choosing an organ quartet as an ensemble--they're joined by Mitch Towne on the B-3 and veteran Dana Murray on the drums. The result is a very relaxed and open set, filled with easy renditions of such classics as "Fried Bananas," "Soul Station", "The Everywhere Calypso" and even Stevie Wonder's "Rocket Love."

This ease is somewhat surprising in a tribute to the tenor sax greats, but it's fitting because Nila's style is anything but brash. His sax has a lingering and introspective sound that concentrates on unfolding each phrase in a very deliberate way. Stryker is sensitive to this--I've heard a number of his records by now and he can shred when he wants, but he's taking his cues from his old friend and doubling the sentiment. Towne's B-3 is also measured and gentle and seems to reinforce the dreaminess of the tunes, especially softer arrangements such as Wayne Shorter's "Infant Eyes." Murray's style reflects the other three, of course--a sharp enough whack on a drum head might wake everyone up from this dream, so he keeps it reserved as well.

Does this sound like a snooze? It isn't. There's a careful calibration at work here that is not devoid of energy and excitement. It does result in sound that makes your shoulders drop, but the wise approach of these veterans also gives you plenty to chew on, plenty of touches that should remind you of all those great musicians from the past. That's the purpose of a tribute album, of course, but what's masterful about Tenor Time is the way Nila reconstructs everything into such a pleasing and mellifluous whole. This is gentle jazz, but not "light" or "cool." It has deep emotion at its center, and a stunning history lesson about the tenor sax if you're willing to sit at your desk and be still.